RWBY: Lost Child
by Aerospathi
Summary: One year before the main canon of RWBY, Jayden Wild arrives at Beacon Academy to begin his training as a Huntsman. He will be joined by Aoi ek' Malpais, Delphie Bakerston, and Ebon Otheseos, and together, they will form Team JADE. This will begin their journey on which they will uncover the truth hidden within the world of Remnant.
1. Chapter 1: A Child of Ash

RWBY: Lost Child

**Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters and the world from ****_RWBY. _****I do not claim ownership of the world or characters of ****_RWBY_****. This story is for entertainment purposes only and is in no way part of the official canon. I will not financially profit from this story. ****_RWBY_**** is created by Monty Oum and is a trademark of Rooster Teeth, LLC. Please support the official release. **

**Author's Note: This story is narrated in first person. Please pay attention for perspective changes, often marked by breaks. **

Chapter 1: A Child of Ash

_Many legends told throughout time account the epic battles of light and dark, good versus evil. We hold such tales in special places within our hearts. They are simple. They are inspiring. They are misleading. For history, as many know, is written by the victors. Details excluded from our accounts, to justify our struggles, sacrifices, and incriminations. Our legends will be built on lies. As such, good and evil are never defined as neatly as they are within the pages of our books. Complications flood such debates, to determine who is righteous and who is justified, and eventually, both sides fade to the same homogeneous gray. But perhaps there is a greater simplicity in this question of good versus evil. To say that there is no good or evil, but simply two sides with opposing motives. _

_The legends within the world of Remnant are no exception to these trends. Humanity, nearly brought to its untimely extinction at the hands of the Creatures of Grimm, struggled to maintain their stake in this torn realm. With the assistance of the substance known as Dust, the people of Remnant shone a beacon of hope into their lives. Now wielding nature's power, humanity's courage and wisdom grew stronger as they took back the world from the approaching void and rebuilt their civilizations. The history of these early Grimm Wars is no longer remembered by the people of today. Since their grand victory, they have fought wars with each other, killed and slaughtered the allies they once called brother and sister. Wars were won and lost, and at the present time, Remnant enjoys what will be a brief period of peace. But, as history does manage to teach us, humanity will not sit contently without war._

_So, I make this plea. To the souls I have gathered in this world of the living, I ask a heavy burden of you. Make this world right again. Learn the truth and correct the mistakes of your ancestors, lest you be swallowed up into the darkness that they unwillingly bred._

We were all gathered on the airship's observation deck to gawk over the view of the surrounding city. I am not entirely sure what the big deal is though. There's overcast, not a slimmer of blue sky or bright sun. Below is just a city, with ignorant people living safe and comfortable lives. That's how things are in Vale. Lots of guards, Huntsmen, and Huntresses for protection. Most folk here don't know what it's like outside this little bubble. Doesn't even look as if they have seen any Grimm in their entire lives. Citizens of Vale just don't know any better. They've become complacent, maintained their innocence, and grown ripe.

The ship looms silently over this city, ignoring everything and pressing forward towards its destination which is now in sight. Beacon Academy. An institution founded to train novice warriors to kill the creatures of Grimm. Although, they sometimes prefer euphemisms for this line of work. We are called "Huntsmen" and "Huntresses". We "slay" the Grimm, we do not "kill" them. And they are usually referred to as "monsters", not as Grimm.

The academy rests on a cliff, with a vast and decorated promenade leading up to its doors. Behind those doors is the school. I'll admit; the school's beauty is breathtaking! The spires looked as if they were touching the sky, reaching beyond it to challenge its dominance over the surface. The walls and archways didn't even seem to be made of common stone or steel, but of divine ore which could not be tarnished by the elements. Finally, its largest spire housed a sort of free-flowing light, a light that would pierce through any darkness and would continue to shine no matter what force attempted to extinguish it. I can't believe what I'm seeing. I look away just to give my eyes a break when I notice my reflection in the glass. My mouth is wide open, still dumbstruck by the view. Embarrassed, I lock my mouth shut and look out towards Beacon Academy again. Keeping my cool this time, I fix my gaze on the light in the large spire. "Beacon. I suppose the name is appropriate."

As we approach, I reach into my jacket pocket and remove a letter. At the top, my name was written in cursive. "To Jayden Wild," it read. It is dated three years ago on the day that I met the headmaster of this academy, Professor Ozpin. He came to visit me while I was stuck in a hospital bed, and invited me to attend his academy. However, he wouldn't let me join right away. Ozpin knew my late mentor, Linus, from the days when he and Ozpin were both active Huntsman. He said it was clear that I have an aptitude for killing the Grimm. But like I said, he wouldn't let me join right away. He told me that I wasn't mentally ready to attend Beacon and that Linus wouldn't want me to begin my formal training so young. "Usually," Ozpin told me back then, "Our students enroll when they are 17 years old. In three years' time, if that fire inside of you has not yet diminished, come to my school, learn to fight the Grimm and find yourself again, and find what you truly seek. But for now, rest, prepare, and heal." Since that day, I tried to forget about what happened before, what happened to me, and to Linus. I dropped out of Signal Academy and hardly spoke to any of my old friends. But I still studied, I still trained, and I still snuck out to kill Grimm. I don't have it all figured out, but I know I want this. For what they did to me, I'll do whatever it takes to get back at them.

**Author's Note, again:**

**Hello everyone! This is my second attempt at writing this RWBY fan-fiction. The previous title was RWBY: Upper class, but I took a long hiatus to rethink aspects of the storyline and parts of it all together. Anyway, here is RWBY: Lost Child! I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. **

**I will normally publish a new chapter every two weeks, with the exception of next week, where I will publish Chapter 2, considering the short length of this one. **


	2. Chapter 2: Keys to Peace

Chapter 2: Keys to Peace

The ship begins to dock, so I stash away the letter and walk towards the exit. Outside, the clouds appear darker, looking as if they might soon rain. My fellow students begin to disperse, explore a bit of the campus, while others fuss with their luggage.

I didn't feel like wasting any time, so I head for the entrance of the school. In a few moments, Professor Ozpin is supposed to give us an orientation speech in the auditorium. Might as well head there right now so I can get this over with. But that won't make a real difference, will it? Getting there early does not mean that it will start sooner and that I'll get dinner sooner. I'm just going to end up waiting in a big empty room until everyone else shows up. Whatever, waiting is better than just goofing around the school. Besides, it's starting to rain.

There are already a number of other students in the auditorium. I don't really feel like socializing, so I'll just hang out in the back. The auditorium is a wide-open, circular room with marble floors and glass windows. There was elevated stadium seating above us, but I don't think we're supposed to be sitting there. Instead, everyone is just standing around in random clusters. I don't understand why we don't just sit in the seating above. Maybe Ozpin has good reason to have everyone stand. Standing shows more discipline; we are training to be soldiers after all, or like soldiers. It could also mean that he wants to give a short speech, and I hope that it is.

A few minutes pass and the PA system turns on. We hear a tap at the microphone, probably a sound check. I look up to see Ozpin on the stage in front of me. He is wearing his characteristic attire, green vest, green coat, green scarf, green everything. Although he doesn't seem very old, he has grey hair and a cane. He always has a cool look on his face, but the hair and cane make me think that he has seen a lot of horrors as a Huntsman. His colleague, who acts as his assistant most of the time, Glynda Goodwitch, stands a few feet behind him. Apparently, she is a pretty well-known Huntress, but I've never really heard of her before I met her three years ago. She has stern, emerald-like eyes behind a pair of stylish glasses. She's dressed in business attire, aside from a purple cape draped over her back.

"I'll keep this brief," Ozpin begins. "You have traveled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction." Everyone seems a little taken aback by that last sentence. People whisper to one another, asking what he means by that or if they should feel offended by what he said. "You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge will only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step." And with that, Ozpin just walked away. Some of the students seem confused, some even scared. To me, I feel like Ozpin is the sort of person who always means more than he says. You need to read between the lines to figure out what he is really trying to tell you. But honestly, I won't overthink what he said just now. It sounds like he gives this same speech to every new class here at Beacon. Must sound like a broken record to Ms. Goodwitch, being the only one to listen to it every year. Honestly, I'm just glad it was short.

Goodwitch then steps up to the microphone. She tells us that we'll be sleeping in the ballroom tonight and that Initiation begins tomorrow morning. We're dismissed and I start towards the dining hall. I'm hungry and I hear that the food at Beacon is supposed to be pretty good, a luxury we get for risking our lives in training, I suppose. I am just about to enter the dining hall when Ozpin steps around the corner and stops me. "Jayden," he says cheerfully, "so good to see you again. You've certainly grown."

"Thank you, Professor Ozpin." I'm doing my best to not seem impatient. I try to not think about food and continue the conversation.

"I trust you find everything at Beacon to your liking?"

"Well professor," I chuckle, "I'd like to explore more of the academy." Like the dining hall. "But, I'm sure that I'll enjoy it here."

"I'm glad," he smiles and begins speaking in a softer, more nostalgic tone. "You've really changed since the day I first met you. You're more polite, more amiable, and more," he paused. "peaceful. Linus would be happy to see you this way."

I really hoped that he wouldn't bring up Linus. I really don't need that on my mind right now. If I think about Linus, about back then, I might lose my appetite. "Thank you," I reply.

"Well, I best let you be on your way," he turns and walks down the hall behind me. "After all, there might not be any dinner left if I stay to talk pleasantries with you."

I turn to the dining hall and see that the serving line has become long. I mean, concert tickets long. For a good concert, mind you. All the other students got in line while we were talking. You've got to be kidding me! I make my way to the line; I'm going to be the last person served. I haven't heard my stomach growl this loud since I was a kid. I look back to see Ozpin walk out of sight. Pleasantries, yeah right.

After dinner, we are told to put our belongings away in the locker rooms. Right now, I'm one of the few people still in here on the account of getting dinner last. Yes, I'm still pretty bitter about that. I saw students taking up sleeping bags and changing into sleepwear. My luggage is a single, overstuffed rucksack. I didn't pack many changes of clothes. Most of what I brought was books, mementos, and knick-knacks to keep myself from getting bored. As I opened the locker, I find a mirror attached to the inside of the door where my reflection is staring back at me. Silver eyes hidden behind shaggy, dark green hair. Turning away from the mirror, I pull out the extra shirt I had and a pair of sweatpants and set them on the bench. I remove my boots and throw them in to the locker with my rucksack. I turn to my side and begin unhooking the holster to my weapon, the Guilty Ash, from my waist.

This weapon and I have a long history together, so let me gush for a bit. The Guilty Ash is a Dust-based firearm that I've made my weapon of choice. Best described, it looks like an oversized, ebony-black double-action revolver fitted with a scarlet sword underneath the barrel. By "Dust-based," I mean that it utilizes Dust and Dust rounds to fire and strike. Dust is a special material, usually appears in crystal or powdered form, which acts as an energy propellant. It has many everyday uses, from powering factories to fueling vehicles, but among Huntsman and Huntresses, it's for fighting. Weapons can be designed to utilize Dust. My gun uses Burn Dust to fire, well, fire. The revolver part holds six Compression Burn Dust rounds. These rounds are capable of releasing a sort of conical bullet made of what I can only describe as 'solid fire'. It has the stopping power required to take down the Grimm since it can punch through thick hides and armor-like skin.

As for the sword bayonet, the gun handle will snap back so it can be held like a traditional sword, but it requires powdered Burn Dust to reach its full potential. The Burn Dust not only cauterizes the blade, but also accelerates it, giving its strikes more weight.

I put the Guilty Ash and my olive drab jacket on the hook inside of the locker. I changed out of my regular outfit and put on my nightwear. Later, I found myself trying to relax on a sleeping bag lying on a hard, marble floor of the ballroom. I'm no stranger to sleeping on hard floors, but lying on marble had a strangle sensation to it. It's feels like the floor is pushing against my weight. Even something like rain-soaked wood floors had a certain level of invitingness to them. You would feel yourself sink into the surface as you drifted into sleep. But not with marble. It just keeps pressing on the back of my head, not letting me feel comfortable enough to dose off.

The marble floor is only a small annoyance compared to the bickering from the other students. "You can't seriously be defending terrorists here! White Fang are a bunch of psychopaths. End of story," says one girl with short chestnut hair. She seemed uptight and stubborn, but the boy arguing with her isn't any different. He is a Faunus. A fox-type, he has pointy ears with a reddish tail sticking out of his pajama bottoms.

"I'm not defending them! I'm saying that the White Fang are just a result of human oppression against the Faunus. It's more the Vale's fault for their action than anyone else's!"

"You can't blame violence and murder on anyone but the ones who committed it! Provoked or not, the White Fang are murderers. Plain and simple."

"We – they already tried peaceful protest and nothing changed. The government is so short-sighted and selfish that they brought this upon themselves. No person, Faunus or human, should have to put up with oppression from a society as cruel and indifferent as this one!" The Faunus boy started getting red. He stuttered before, saying 'we' before correcting himself. Was he part of the White Fang? It would make sense. White Fang used to be a peaceful political group that wanted to foster good relationships with the world powers after the Faunus War. There was still plenty of hate towards the Faunus from that war, even though it was humans who were the provoked them in the first place. That hate led to a lot of curtailed rights for the Faunus and the White Fang took to peaceful protest. Of course, that didn't always work, and so they adopted more direct protest methods. And that's the White Fang of today, a terrorist organization that formerly sought equal rights and to live fairly with humans and now seeks human extinction. Things don't always work out the way we hope, and people are always reluctant to take responsibility for their past mistakes.

But right now, I just want their argument to end so I can get some sleep. They kept getting louder, which was surprising considering that the chestnut-haired girl had already put her foot in her mount enough times for her to realize that she should shut up. And fox-boy wasn't doing any better. He never really agreed that the White Fang shouldn't be killing people, which would be smart to mention before you keep talking.

But, more importantly, why was I still thinking about this? Sleep, sleep, sleep, I just want to sleep. I try to ignore them, but I can't even if I could, I'm just too worked up right now. I sit up and look around. I could go back to my locker and grab a book, but I'm not sure I'm allowed to leave the ballroom.

I glance over the room and spot a piano. Playing the piano was something I picked up while I was living with my foster mother, Ms. Pan. Music always helped relax me, so I actually enjoy playing piano. I got up and make my way over the sea of sleeping bags to get to the piano. I finally sit down in front of it and decide that I'll play the most relaxing song I know. I test the keys and listen. The piano is kept in good condition. I get right into it and start playing. Slow to start, but then I pick up the rhythm and just go with it. The sound is so clear and crisp that I get lost in the music, all that matters is the song. I don't hear anything but the song. It's like I'm in another world. No bickering kids. No fighting. No Grimm.

The music is really working. I don't hear the arguing students. It's like they aren't even there. I keep playing, the soft music helping to put me in a state of relaxation that I almost fall asleep myself, but I really want to finish the song. As I come to the end, the pace dies down to the point where I can start hearing background noise, but there is none. I finish the song and turn around. Everybody, and I mean everybody, is asleep, even Chestnut Hair and Fox Boy. I can't believe that the piano worked that well. I get up slowly, put half to sleep by my own song, and crawl into my sleeping bag.

As I drift to sleep, I think of what I will be doing at this academy. We have peace for now, but tomorrow, I take the first step towards wiping the Grimm off the face of this world.


	3. Chapter 3: First Contact

Chapter 3: First Contact

Another nightmare. This time it was a lone refugee hunted down by a pack of Beowolves. I usually force myself to wake up before it gets bad, but this time, I had to watch.

I get up from the sleeping bag and see that many other students had already left the room for breakfast. I follow suit and find a nice spot next to the window to eat. I can look out and just enjoy the scenery. The clouds cleared up from last night's rain, revealing an azure sky with vibrant green mountains and woodlands in the distance. I probably won't be getting a peaceful moment like this for a while, at least not until Initiation is over.

I change into my normal clothes and gear, securing Guilty Ash to my waist. It is fully loaded and ready to go. I make my way to Beacon Cliffs where the Initiation is to be held. Along the way, I see the fox Faunus boy and chestnut-haired girl giving each other dirty looks. Give it a rest, would you?

I arrive at the Cliffs to see my fellow student's lined up on stone platforms. I find an unoccupied one, thinking it doesn't matter. I mean, what, do we get assigned seating at Beacon? Is this grade school? Whatever, looks like I was one of the last to arrive so Professor Ozpin starts describing the process to us.

"Welcome to Initiation. Today, you will use the skills that you have so far acquired to be assessed on your combat ability. During Initiation, you will also begin to form your teams that will be with you for the next four years here at Beacon."

Goodwitch takes over the speech. "After you land in the Emerald Forest, you will form pairs with the first person you make eye contact with. This person will be a member of your permanent team."

Ozpin continued, "Your assignment is to reach the temple at the northern end of the forest and retrieve one relic per pair and return it here to this location at the top of the cliff. Opposition will be ruthless and while our proctors will be monitoring you, they will not intervene. If you do not defeat the enemy, then you will die."

You could hear a pin drop. This sounds pretty intense. I'm sure that for a lot of these kids, this is their first time going up against the Grimm. I guess I have the luxury of experience, but I wouldn't exactly call myself lucky for having fought Grimm before.

"If there are no further questions, then we will begin your launch and the assignment will commence." At that moment I heard one student a few spots down start to whimper. "Good, then let us begin. Good luck to all of you."

Okay, let's do this. The first student launched and flew through the air, and then the second, third and so on. Waiting sort of broke up the excitement, but it gave me some time to think of a landing strategy. I closed my eyes and put my head down to concentrate. What could I do? Linus and I never really worked on landing strategies.

I open my eyes and notice I'm already flying through the air. "Whoops," I say out loud. Guess I'm winging it. I get closer and closer to the canopy and decide that I should cut through any branches and go from there. With one fiery swing I break through the canopy. I then dig my bayonet in trunk of a tree, breaking my decent. After dislodging my weapon, I swing down and roll on the forest floor. No time to waste. I make a mad dash to the north.

On my way, I run into two Grimm, Beowolves, growling at me in the clearing ahead. "Take these bastards out," I whisper to myself as a big smile comes across my face. The Beowolf in front takes a swing at me but I slide under its claw and cut its legs off as I pass underneath. I stand back up and shoot it in the back of the head as it tries to push itself back up. The second one tries to pounce on me from above, so I slash upwards using the propulsion of the fire to jump up and cut the werewolf-esque monster's head clean off. As I land I continue on my path at full speed.

A few more encounters like the first came about. Some Ursai and mid-size Nevermores show up. It's nothing I can't handle, but it seems like the concentration of Grimm here is too high to be normal. Does Ozpin raise Grimm here for training? Makes sense for a Grimm-hunting school and everything. But still, how can you keep this many Grimm so close to Vale?

There is noise in the distance. I stop in a clearing in the woods and look around to listen. Screams. Some students aren't faring well against the Grimm. I grind my teeth. I should go help them. I need to go help them, but I was given an order. Find the relic and get out. I remember Linus's advice when he took me on my first Grimm hunt. _Get in, get out. Focus on the mission and nothing else._ I look to the direction of the screams. I'm sorry. I start off again towards the north. What kind of sadistic exam is this?

As I run, the screams fade. Next, I start hearing growls, roars. It's Grimm. Sounds like Ursai, three of them. They're getting closer and it sounds like they're fighting someone. I look around to get a better sense of direction and the moment I turn my back, an Ursa bursts through the trees behind me. I turn and take aim, but before I can even get my finger on the trigger, a flash comes from behind the bear-like creature and it falls to the ground. Standing on its back is a boy, my age and height, pulling a black staff out of the nape of the Ursa's neck. Electricity sparks out from vents on the staff. The boy has short black hair and wears a black chest plate over a white sleeveless shirt and gray shorts. He steps off the monster and slumps to the ground letting out an exasperated sigh and a smile.

He looks to me. "So, how was your day so far, buddy?" he says nonchalantly.

"Aren't there," I stutter. "Two more?"

The boy in black pauses. "Ooooh, yeaaaah …" he trails off as the remaining two Ursai charge through the woods to find us. I'm expecting them this time. I aim and shoot off their heads before they have time to even raise their claws for a strike. Surprised, the boy turns to look at the freshly fallen monster and whistles. "Nice shot, man." He stands up and brushes the dirt from his clothes. He extends his hand to me. "Name's Ebon Otheseos. And you?"

I shake his hand and smile. "Jayden Wild. So, partners?"

"Partners, but totally in the Platonic way," he says, laughing at his own joke. So, he's one of _those_ people. Those people who enjoy throwing out quips at every opportunity. Well, at least it's better conversation then the Grimm. I let out a short laugh and motion to the north.

"C'mon, we should get to the temple before the whole forest is on our tail."

"Yeah, I don't feel like sticking around for the Ursai family reunion."

We sprint off to the north again. We come into significantly less resistance and start making good time, but I still don't see the temple. I believe that we should have reached it by now, but perhaps I underestimated the size of this forest.

"Not lost are we?" Ebon asks.

"Don't think so," I look at the sun. It's high noon, so the sun is in the south and we've been keeping it to our backs this whole time, so we are still going in the right direction. "But we could have passed it."

"Well, crap, how will we know if it's to our right or left?" he complains. He's right. Ozpin just said north, but the woods are thick and it could be easy to miss an abandoned ruin. Splitting up would be suicide, but we could spend all day searching this forest and not cover enough ground. We need higher ground. We can find some clearings or maybe find the temple right off the bat. I look up and see a giant Nevermore circling the forest. I'm sure it has a great view if we could somehow get on it, but it's a Grimm, not a tour bus. Trying to ride it would be just, stupid.

"We need a view, any ideas, Ebon?"

He points to the sky. "How about we get on -"

"No."

"Okay, Plan B." He takes out his staff and it splits in to two escrima sticks. Using his aura to activate the Dust inside, he commands the lightning to start shocking him, but he's not in pain. It looks as if the lightning is flowing in to him. He squats down and jumps with a burst of lightning shooting him up in the air. "Hey, I see something!"

"You see the temple?"

"What?" He can't hear me up there. So start descending to the ground. And then he starts falling. Faster. Wait, can he land? From down here I see a worried look on his face. "Oh no!" He comes crashing into the canopy, but luckily branches give way to break his fall. He lands on the ground safely, well, sort of. He landed on this chest, but he looks okay. "My attempt at landing," he laughs. "Did not go well."

I laugh, both at him and with him, and help him up. I guess he was as prepared as I was for the landing strategy. "Well, that was the strangest thing I ever saw. How did you do that?"

"It's my Semblance, Absorption," he answers. "I can absorb energies and then redirect them outwards from my body. All I got to do is shock myself a little bit and boom, catapult myself in the air."

Semblance is the unique ability that a person trained in aura acquires through intense training. As the power of life that flows from all natural things in this world, mastery of aura allows Hunters to create barriers, heal injuries instantaneously, and utilize Dust. I've learned such skill from Linus, but despite all my training, I have yet to unlock my own Semblance.

"Does it hurt?"

"Meh, not really," as he gives a reassuring and twitching smile. "Anyway, the temple is northwest of here. We didn't miss it yet."

"Awesome, thanks Ebon." I ready Guilty Ash. Grimm might be more concentrated at the temple, best to be ready. "Alright, let's go."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Sorry for the late update, I got caught up in exams.<strong>

**And now we have half of Team JADE introduced! Hope you're looking forward to seeing the team come together. **


	4. Chapter 4: To Be Afraid

Chapter 4: To Be Afraid

Ebon stares blankly at the temple before us. "So... Jayden?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you feel a little bit cheated?"

"Why, isn't this the temple?"

"Sure, but it's just …"

We look out to a large clearing in the forest where a large altar stands with stone pillars that do not support a roof. The temple is simple, easy to miss, and –

"So lame!" says Ebon, gesturing to the ancient ruins.

"Whatever, let's just get what we need."

We approach the temple cautiously. I don't rule out the possibility of traps or a Grimm ambush. My eyes shift methodically from side-to-side, up and down. I look forwards and backwards. The clearing is large enough for nothing to really surprise us, but I would like to be as prepared as possible.

The relics appear to be an assortment of antiques. Odd things one may find in a back-alley shop or from a street peddler. I browse the selection. I think something that is light and small would be best. And maybe something that won't break easily. Not sure if the relic has to be intact to complete the mission, but I wouldn't want to find out and have to go back into the forest. Eventually, I find something that catches my eye. It's a book about archeology, specifically about attempts at translating the ancient language of the civilizations that existed on this planet before our world, Remnant. I open to the first few pages and as I take a look at some of the text, I can't help but laugh. This catches Ebon's attention.

"What's up?" he asks.

"Nothing," I affirm. "I just thought it was funny how these scholars are all attempting to translate the same phrase. Here, look." I hold the book to him and point to a picture of ancient words found at the archeological site. "This professor from Vale University thinks it says 'All travelers, be wary of danger' but this professor from the University of Atlas thinks it says 'Bathing house, next left.' Completely different, see?"

"Yeah that's," Ebon starts to trail off. "Cool. I didn't take you for the bookworm type."

"I'm not. I just like history. Anyway," I shut the book and hide it within my jacket. "Let's take this one. Light, small, easy to carry and probably not going to break."

"I'm game." He turns to the forest, but suddenly stops in his tracks. "Whoa, hold up a second."

Just entering the clearing are two girls our age. One has a dark shade of purple hair with a braid tied in the back and glasses which rest on the bridge of her nose. She wears a violet coat over a white button down shirt and matching color skirt. She wears black leggings and high boots and brandishes two swords fastened to the back of her waist. The other girl appears to be a foreigner. She looks slender with dark skin and wears a long dress made of bright blue and white cloth. She wears a blue top that exposed midriff and has a glove on her right hand that has a dark blue Dust Crystal on the back of the hand. Her hair is long and black, save for a dyed-blue streak that framed the left of her face. A foldable bow is attached to her left hip. As the girls approach, the one in blue waves to us, bearing a bright and kind smile.

"Hello, kind strangers!" she says with almost too much cheer. "How do you do?" She speaks with such careful tact and glee that I can tell right away that she grew up in another kingdom, but where in Remnant do they speak like that? Ebon is the first to meet them as they arrive at the temple.

"Hello ladies," he says, adopting a suave tone. "Glad to see to some beautiful friendly faces in times like these." A sly grin grows across his face as he waits for the response of our two new arrivals. The one in glasses rolls her eyes at Ebon's flirting, but the girl in blue seems genuinely flattered by his compliment. She definitely isn't from around here.

"Thank you, you too!" responds the girl in blue. "My name is Aoi. It is nice to meet you." She gives a slight bow of the head.

"And my is Ebon. Ebon Otheseos. It's my pleasure."

"What is?" Aoi asks with a head cocked to the side.

"T-to meet you," Ebon stutters as the tone becomes slightly more awkward.

"Oh. Well, thank you."

"Aoi," the girl in glasses lets out a sigh. "How about you pick out the relic. Take whatever you like." Aoi nods and heads over to the relics with Ebon escorting her. He seems like the flirting type, I guess. The glasses girl then turns her attention towards me. "Hey, I know you. Don't I?" she asks. "Yeah, you went to Signal for a year, right? Jayden Wild?"

I'm shocked she remembers me. I feel a little embarrassed too because I can't seem to remember her. "Yeah, that's me. Have we met?"

"We were bench partners in mechanics class, remember?"

My tone drops as I start feeling more embarrassed. "Sorry."

She lets out a sigh and crosses her arms. "I'm Delphie Bakerston. Sound familiar?"

Delphie! I almost didn't recognize her. It's been three years since I've seen her. "Oh yeah, I remember you, Delphie. Sorry about that."

"Meh, it's whatever." She brushes it off like it never happened. I'm used to women who would normally hound you for not calling them for some time, but she seemed okay with it. Her reaction was kind of, hurtful, if not also reassuring.

"Delphie! Look!" Her partner Aoi holds up a magnifying glass and waves to her. "What about this one?"

"Sure," Delphie says with a smile. "Whatever you feel like." Aoi gives off a big smile and turn to Ebon to show him and they start chatting it up. "So," Delphie redirects her attention to me with a curious stare. "So, what made you dropout after freshman year? Signal too boring?"

I wasn't expecting such a personal question so soon after reuniting with an old … acquaintance. "Well, it's kind of a long story." I scratch the back of my head habitually. It's what I do in awkward situations like these. However, Delphie doesn't seem to get the hint.

"Oh, okay," she says as her expression becomes more relaxed and friendly. "You didn't miss out on much. Signal really was a boring time." Our partners return to us, with Aoi holding the magnifying glass up to Ebon who is making faces through it, causing Aoi to laugh heartily. After gaining her composure, Aoi turns to me with a smile.

"Hello," she says even more cheerfully than before. "My name is Aoi. It is nice to meet you, too!" I can't help but smile at her merry attitude.

"Likewise, Aoi. I'm Jayden." I turn to my partner to complete introductions. "And Ebon, this is Delphie."

"Charmed to meet you, Delphie," Ebon says in the same suave tone. Delphie smiles briefly and nods to greet him. "So, looks like we can all head out."

"All together?" I ask. I can see how there can be strength in numbers, but larger groups are more noticeable.

"Of course all together, Jay," responds Ebon. Wait, what? Did I just get a nickname? "No sense in leaving these ladies alone." He turns to face Aoi. "More the merrier, right?"

"Right," Aoi answers.

"Alright," I say as my eyes scan over the faces of my three new allies. I guess four isn't that much of an increase in two over noticeability. "Let's head out." We start off to the south and enter the fray of the Emerald Forest once more.

We encounter some more Grimm a few steps into the forest. It gives me a chance to see how these three can fight. I knew from before that Ebon used a staff with Lightning Dust and that it could detach into two escrima sticks, but this time he showed off how it could be used as a rail gun to fire strikes of lightning. Aoi had a metal, bladed bow that could take the shape of a two pronged sword, or detach into two bladed tonfa's. Her Dust glove was the source of her arrows. It produced solid matter bolts of some kind of dark blue Dust. I've seen Delphie's weapon from my year at Signal. She called them the X44's. They were dual swords that are able to fold open along the blood groove to form large caliber pistols. Additionally, the hilts of the swords are attached to a wired rig underneath her coat that allowed her to launch the swords like grappling hooks. She told me how she made the entire weapon in a weekend.

We continue through the forest and start slowing our pace. After that first encounter when we re-entered the forest, we haven't found any Grimm for some time, which is strange when you consider how the rest of this test has been going. Something doesn't feel right. My mind starts racing. The Grimm will attack, soon. They always do. They're always restless. They're always looking for prey.

We scan the forest as we go at a walking pace. I'm looking for anything out of the ordinary, anything that moves. I keep looking, waiting.

"Hey," a quizative Delphie says. "Does that tree look weird to you?"

A few feet ahead is a dead-looking tree with long branches and some kind etchings in the bark. Etchings? Oh, no!

"IT'S AN ARBORANT! WATCH OUT!" I shout. The leaves rustle and a branch with finger-like projections bursts out and grabs Ebon by his feet. As it pulls him up, his head slams against the ground and the shock causes him to lose grip on his staff. Before I can even level my gun, a deep blue blur severs the branch and Ebon falls to the ground. That's Aoi's arrow. With Ebon safe, I turn my attention to the Arborant. It had tried to blend in with the other trees, but now it was in its active state. The etchings on its bark glow read and it bore its teeth. The sentient tree begins to ready its sharp and deadly branches for an assault, but this time we're ready.

"Aoi. Delphie. Cover me," I command as I charge the Arborant. Blue arrows and bullets ward off any of the vectors aimed at me. One of the Arborants weaknesses is fire, and luckily I have plenty of that. I fire a few rounds into its trunk and the Dust fire bolts cause it to frenzy, its branches swing wildly above. I call the Dust to light the bayonet on Guilty Ash and cut through its trunk in one swoop, killing the creature. Its top half falls to the earth and I look to my allies. Aoi helps Ebon up.

"Aoi," he begins. "Thank you, I really owe you one."

"Oh that's okay," she reassures surprised. "You don't need to give me one of anything."

"No, I mean, I'm saying that I'm grateful for you saving me." Now they both look confused.

"Oh, you are welcome!" Aoi says with a big smile and her confusion gone. She must not have heard the phrase 'I owe you one' before. Ebon smiles in return and laughs. It looks like he makes friends quickly. I just hope that putting his life at risk is part of his strategy.

"You certainly know a lot about the Grimm," Delphie says to me. "I know you didn't learn that from your first year at Signal."

"I've seen Arborants in the woods around my hometown as a kid," I explain. "They're weak to fire, and can be killed if you destroy their glowing red heartwood." I point to the center of the fallen demon, whose scarlet heartwood began to fade.

"Huh," Delphie blurts out. "Good to know."

"Hands down, that was the creepiest Grimm I've seen," Ebon says back to his sorts. "What kind of tree has teeth?"

I walk over to the Arborant corpse and explain once more. "That's their little quirk. The teeth are there to pull in its victims and bite down on them." I touch the now harmless teeth of the monster and notice something thick get deposited on my fingers. It's blood. Someone was already killed by it.

"That's harsh," Delphie says, very matter-of-factly.

"That's the Grimm. They work by instilling fear in their victims using intimidation and violence until you're paralyzed with fear."

"I can't imagine anything being that cruel," Aoi speaks in a chilled tone. Seems like my new allies haven't had too much experience fighting the Grimm. Honestly, I envy that, but they need to hear this, so I continue.

"When the victims are a group, Grimm will act more violently and their tactics will be more gruesome. This is how they instill that fear. When someone is alone, or someone is the last one standing, they change their behavior. They kill the last one quick and by that time, that person is too scared to fight back." Aoi and Ebon look a bit disturbed, but Delphie looks fine, interested even. I remember the words Linus once told me, the words every Huntsman and Huntress must live by. "Just keep in mind. To be afraid is to be dead. Now, let's keep going south."

We move at a fast pace, but this time we tread carefully. Grimm encounters since the Arborant have been significantly lighter, which both relieves and worries me. Have we cleared out the Grimm, or have they spread out to more vulnerable victims?

"We ought to be close to the cliffs by now," says Aoi. Breaks in the canopy reveal that she's right. You can see just the top of the cliff from here. It will be over soon, this 'test'. I never took Ozpin for this kind of guy. I understand trial by fire, but this? My thoughts are interrupted when Aoi stops suddenly on the forest path. The rest of us stop to see what has her concerned. Her eyes are wide as she looks up at the canopy. "Do any of you three hear that?"

I listen for whatever she is referring to, but I don't hear anything at all. It took me a second more to realize that might be what she was talking about. No birds chirping. No movement nearby. The forest seems empty or rather evacuated.

I answer her with cautious words. "Do you mean how everything is silent?" She nods and looks to the forest ahead.

"I fear that the Grimm are between us and the cliff," Aoi claims. Delphie takes a deep breath and exhales. She looks as if she is gathering her focus.

"She's right," Delphie confirms. "I'm hearing assorted species of Grimm nearby." She lifts up her glasses and peers into the forest. "Oh yeah, lots of them. Beowolves, Ursai, Boarbatusks and what not." She places her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose and rubs her temples. "A whole horde of them."

"You can see them?" Ebon asks.

"Yeah," Delphie looks up to face him. "Right through the openings in the underbrush, I can catch a glimpse of at least a few of them. About 100 meters away." Ebon looks shocked, but his surprise quickly turns to anxiety.

"Great," Ebon begins. "We have a Grimm convention just waiting for the tasty human meat panel to start right at the cliffs. Can we go around them?"

"The forest is cleared around the base of the cliff. We'll be spotted by a group that large," Delphie replies. "And if we decide to go further, we might just run into more. Now it's a risk of facing either the certain danger or the unknown." She appears remarkably calm for the situation, even though she is biting down on her thumb nail. "You're the expert apparently," Delphie turns to me. "What do you say?" I'm a little taken back she asked for my advice. I don't remember much about Delphie, but I do remember that she prided herself on her intelligence. However, I doubt they ever taught Grimm behavior at Signal. Most combat schools tend to ignore Grimm slaying entirely.

"I think it's worth a shot to check it out. Move up quietly. We'll see if it is something we can deal with."

A few seconds later and I almost have my answer. There are close to forty to fifty Grimm of assorted species. The last time I want against a horde of this size, it did not end too well for me. Delphie was right about trying to go around them. There was no cover along the base of the cliff and these Grimm look like they're searching for new victims. We stay in cover for now until we think of a plan. This is going to need some creativity.

"Whelp," Ebon whispers as to not give away our location. "I'm all for going around."

"We're so close right now. There must be some way we can evade them," Aoi says softly.

"Even if we get around them, we have to scale the cliffs. We'll be sitting ducks at that point if we don't kill off the Grimm here," Delphie adds.

"Look how many there are," Ebon whispers with an annoyed tone. "It would be like trying to fly in a tornado! A tornado with teeth and claws."

I kept thinking and trying to remember what Linus had taught me about fighting Grimm hordes. First thing he taught me was don't fight them. Run away and come back with more Hunters and firepower. Well, there are four of us now, but that may not be enough. We would be fighting one-to-ten or more. Maybe we can thin out their numbers with ranged attacks and draw them apart to decrease their density. How can we do that? And then there's the problem of the cliffs. Delphie has her grappling hook-swords and Ebon can maybe boost himself higher, but that will take time and only takes care of half of us regardless. Taking out most of the horde seems to be our only option.

"Guys I have an idea but you might not like it," I say to the trio. "We thin out their numbers and get the Grimm to spread out. Then, we make a break for the cliff and try to fight them with our backs to the wall so we don't get surrounded."

"That's just going to put us in a corner," protests Ebon.

"It might me our only way to get through the horde. Avoiding close-combat is preferred, but we have to kill a good number of them if we want to get up the cliffs in one piece."

"Maybe not," Delphie chimes in. "Aoi. About those Dust arrows you shoot. Are they solid?"

"Of course," she responds. "The Dust forms a stone-like material when it resonates with my bow, causing it to take the shape of the arrows."

"In that case, why not make a ladder all the way up the cliffs?" Delphie suggests with a confident smile. That might just work actually.

"Okay, that's the best bet. Delphie and I will each take a flank and try to lead the Grimm away from the center." I turn to Ebon and Aoi before I continue. "Ebon, you're going to charge up the center in front of Aoi while she makes the ladder for us up the cliff. Kill any Grimm that get in your way. Delphie and I will be covering you."

"Sounds great," Ebon says with a hint of sarcasm.

"By the time you get to the base of the cliff, start climbing. Delphie, when they start climbing use your grappling hooks to get out."

"Fine by me, but what about you?" Delphie asks me.

"I'll make my way to the ladder when they're close. By that time, I'll be close to the base of the cliff, so I really only have to worry about the Grimm on one side."

We split up to take our positions. I am on the left flank and Delphie in on the right. We wait among the trees until I give the signal. Once I fire my first shot, Delphie will open fire on the right flank. After a few seconds Ebon will charge out with Aoi right behind him. He will make sure no Grimm get to Aoi while she makes the ladder. I peer out to the forest to get another look at the horde. There's still a lot of them. They aren't going anywhere. I take a deep breath and relax, try to focus on the task at hand. I'll send these bastards back to hell.

I run out of the woods and fire, killing the closest Ursa with a head shot. The Grimm take notice of me, but then Delphie bursts out the woods having propelled herself through the air using her grappling hooks as a sling shot. Her swords open and she opens fire on the right flank Grimm. The Grimm closest to her go after her, but luckily they can't reach her. Ebon and Aoi on cue leave the forest. Aoi gets straight to work and fires large azure arrows into the cliff. Ebon does his job well. He takes out any nearby Grimm handily. With every strike of his staff, an electrocuted Grimm flies back into the horde where it came from. I run through my six shots and reload, but before I can aim again, a Beowolf gets close enough to strike. I fire up the bayonette and cut through the beasts' torso. I fight of a few of its' compatriots in close contact until I see Aoi already getting up the cliff with Ebon behind her. Delphie sends her swords into the cliffs and her cables send her to the heights above. Now it's my turn. I charge to the first arrow, killing two Grimm on my way there. I grab the first rung, then the seconds. Suddenly I feel pressure around my right leg. A Beowolf has my leg in its gruesome paw. Before it bites me, I shoot it in the head and it lets go, but by that time the Grimm have already begun to swarm me. One leaps at me and I jump away from the rung and land back on to the forest floor. The Grimm that had surrounded the makeshift ladder now turn their sights on me. We took out only about fifteen in our charge, so I am left here with about three dozen Grimm. This is bad. I fire the last few of my shots and make them count, but there is still too many for just me to take and there's not enough time to reload. My heart starts beating like crazy, my mind starts racing. It's just like before, three years ago in the Eastern Frontier. When Linus died, when I went berserk. The Grimm got closer and closer, but I feel no fear. I had pushed down my fear long ago. All I feel is anger, unbridled rage. I'm going to kill all of you. Slaughter all of you!

Suddenly, a strike of lightning lands in front of me killing or dispersing the nearest Grimm. Bullets and arrows rain down. It's Aoi, Delphie and Ebon. They are coming back down to fight. No, no, no! They were safe! They can't come back.

"Jayden!" I hear Ebon shout. "Get to the cliff! Get back." I see my allies fighting with their backs against the cliff.

"Hold on, I'll regroup." I charge at the Grimm who have taken notice of the others and cut a swath through them to regroup with my allies. The four of us stand together at the base of the cliff. The next few seconds go by quickly. My body takes over as I fight my way through the Grimm. It is almost instinct for me at this point. I'm all too familiar with the patterns and movement of the Grimm. I save Ebon from getting hit from his blind spot, but Aoi kills a Grimm before it attacked me from my own. Delphie took out a Boarbatusk before it could charge at Aoi, and then Ebon kills an Ursa before it struck Delphie. We continue like this for what seems like hours. The chaos of fighting this Grimm horde is only mitigated by fighting as a team. Slowly, their numbers begin to thin. We fight our way through the horde and before we know it, we're lying on the ground panting and surrounded by Grimm corpses that have already begun to degrade into smoke.

"Is anyone hurt?" Aoi lets out in between breaths.

"I'm fine," Ebon answers just as winded. "That had to be way more than fifty."

"I think a few more had joined the fray at the end there," Delphie says before resting her head back down on the grass. None of us were severely wounded. We killed an entire Grimm horde! Despite being exhausted, I could not believe how easy it was. Fighting with a team made this Grimm slaying business much more efficient, and not as lonely.

I stand up and look to the cliff and speak. "When we're ready, let's head up. I don't want to keep Ozpin waiting." And I also want to give him a piece of my mind. The density of the Grimm here is practically out of control. I don't care what combat school you've been to. No one who hasn't had any real experience with the Grimm won't last long in these woods, at least not alone. My new allies, my new friends, stand up and join me at the base of the cliff. "Alright, let's get started."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Team JADE is finally assembled!<strong>

**Anyone else on the post-Volume 2 depression? I guess they're gonna keep us going with the remaining unanswered questions. Like how does Zwei fit into a tube? **

**Oh yeah! This also marks the first chapter which I introduce an original idea for a Grimm. I know "Arborant" is a pretty painful pun, but I really wanted a Grimm that played on that scary tree motif you can see in those old cartoons. I feel like the Arborant can be one of those "more horrific forms of Grimm" they described in the third World of Remnant. Honestly, those world-building episodes are some of my favorite ones. **


	5. Chapter 5: Left at the Wake

Chapter 5: Left at the Wake.

"Congratulations on making it back," says a smiling Ozpin with a stern Professor Goodwitch next to him. We made it to the top of the cliff. Having to ascend a cliff after exterminating a Grimm horde left us expectedly exhausted. As before, we lay down on the grass in front of Ozpin and Goodwitch in order to catch our breath again. Our Initiation is over. "I'm glad to see you all made it back in one piece." I think, at least I hope, he is being sincere about that.

"Hey Teach," Ebon says to Ozpin after a gasp for air. "I think you have a serious vermin problem in your garden there." Ozpin chuckles softly and goes to take a sip of his coffee, but before he can, Delphie walks up to him and grabs the mug straight out of his hand and guzzles the whole thing down in one gulp. She then wipes her mouth on her sleeve and hands his mug back to him.

"I see that you found the test challenging Ms. Bakerston," Ozpin says unfazed by her brashness. Delphie nods and returns to our side. "Now, may I see the relics that you have returned?" Aoi and I present our items. She has the magnifying glass and I have the archeological book. Not sure why the relics we're stuff you could find at a thrift store, but I really don't think that's the question I should be asking. Rather, what do they mean? He takes the relics and looks at them with a smile. "Well this is interesting."

Before I have the chance to ask him what they mean, Goodwitch starts to speak. "With your Initiation Exam complete, you may return to the Academy until we are ready for the Induction Ceremony. The dining hall will be open until then - "

We don't even bother to keep listening after that point. We all perk up and rush straight back to Beacon. We charge through the big oak doors which lead into the dining hall. There are few other students already there, current students. They are all wearing Beacon uniforms, jackets and skirts for the girls and suits and vests for the boys. That's about all I notice before we head to the serving station to get food. We overload our plates with everything we can find, although I skip out on the dessert section for, well, reasons. We sit down at an empty and start wolfing down, not saying a word to each other until our plates are clean. This late lunch feels like utter bliss. It's been a while since I've felt this hungry. Every bite seems to be exaggerated in flavor. I can tell by the expressions on my three new companions that they share my sentiment. Finally, our forks and knives drop to the plates with a satisfied clang and we all let out a collective sigh. I take a look around to get accustomed to where we'll break bread for the next four years. I look at all the current students getting ready for their next academic year. I keep looking around and I notice that us four are the only ones not in uniform right now. Come to think of it, I didn't see anyone else from the incoming class since we left the Emerald Forest.

"Hey guys," I turn to my friends. "Did we finish Initiation first? I don't see any other freshmen."

The others look around and then Delphie is the first to speak. "Yeah, I guess so." She brings a mug of coffee to her lips. "The exam must still be going on."

"That's awesome," says Ebon excitedly. "Not even the first day and we're already at the top of our class!" Personally, I'm not entirely sure if that is such a great thing. We took a while in the forest and I wouldn't say it was easy for us. I start to wonder how the other students could be faring and then I remember the blood that was on the Arborant's teeth. I don't want to say it out loud, but I think it was more luck than skill that allowed us to be here today.

A few minutes later, the intercom announces for all freshman to report back to the auditorium for their Induction Ceremony. We would be assigned teams at this ceremony. I knew Ebon will be on my team, but I wonder about Delphie and Aoi. They would be great allies to have, and personally, I think I'm done meeting any new people today. Sometimes, it can be exhausting.

"I sincerely hope that we will all be on the same team," Aoi reveals to us. "Certainly Headmaster Ozpin saw our performance and he would consider keeping us together, no?"

"Maybe," I say. "I don't pretend to know how that guy does his business, but I'm sure he gives it some thought."

"I'm calling it as totally random," states Delphie.

"Seriously? No way," Ebon disagrees. "Why would he just assign partners to teams randomly?"

" 'Cause it's been a single afternoon and we're getting our assignments in less than an hour. You really think he could make a decision like that for each team so quickly."

"Why not? Ozpin's a smart guy. I'm sure he had ideas for teams in mind while he was watching the exam."

"We'll see," Delphie smirks.

We arrive at the auditorium with our fellow newly initiates. I notice that there are fewer than before. That cannot be a good sign. The PA system comes on and everyone stands at attention and awaits Ozpin's words. He comes up to the microphone just like yesterday, but he seems more somber, as if he is at a wake, not a ceremony. Suddenly, there are a number of staff members pushing carts with long wooden boxes on top of them. It hits me immediately. Those are caskets. Students died at this exam. The blood on that Arborant belonged to one of these students that are now lying motionless in a closed casket. I'm not even sure if they found all the bodies for those caskets. I look around for the two students I saw in the ballroom last night, the fox-faunus and the chestnut haired girl who were arguing from before. I don't see them among the students standing at attention. I look back to the stage and gaze morosely at the lost students that are lined up before us. Two of those caskets belong to that faunus and that girl. They spent their last night arguing, bickering over politics. Was it worth it, you two?

"Firstly," Ozpin starts. "I would like to congratulate all of you on making it through the Beacon Initiation. This long-standing tradition has been a trial by fire for many Huntsmen and Huntresses that serve and protect our world today. However, it is with a heavy heart," Ozpin's tone becomes lower and more depressed, "that I inform you that not all of our hopeful students could be with you here today. They lost their lives in battle against the Grimm. Their souls now rest and their courage and strength are now entrusted to all of you. They are not the first to fall at the hands of the Grimm, but with your training here, they may one day become the last."

I can't trust those words. The Grimm will only kill more. That's what they want, the end of all civilization and the lives that created it. Human, Faunus, royalty, peasants, it is all the same to the Grimm. I look to my friends nearby. Delphie is facing down towards the ground with a serious look and Ebon and Aoi appear to be in shock, eyes and mouths wide open at the revelation of a Hunter's short lifespan. One day, we'll all make peace with that fact. As future as Huntsmen and Huntresses, our new lifestyle does not guarantee peace or longevity.

Ozpin starts to call up teams to the stage. This is where we find out how he assigns the teams. I'm feeling curious, but at the same time, a bit apprehensive. That feeling only lasts for a little while however. The thought of those killed students came back to me. The sight of mutilated bodies creep up from my memory once more. I become momentarily lost in those memories, the bloody images of the Grimm's victory. A ringing noise within my head grows louder and louder the longer I spend thinking about them. How can anyone be ready for this? I thought before that we will be able to make peace with this violent reality, but maybe there is no escape from it. Just look at me for an example of that.

I snap back into the real world just in time to hear the last few names get called up. I count myself lucky to have not zoned out of my own Induction Ceremony.

"Okami Argentae, Strall Bayler, Nutall Forester and Brick Mason." Four students walk up to the stage a line up in front of Ozpin. Okami appears to be a girl dressed as a shepherd and wears a cowl on the top of head. The other three are boys of varying heights and body types. "For retrieving the shield and the helmet, you have shown that you value protection and guard yourselves and others with great concern. Together, you will work together as Team OBSN (Obsidian), led by Okami Argentae. May you guard each other and Remnant with all of your strength." Applause lets out for this newly minted team. Delphie then leans over to Ebon.

"Who called it?" she whispers with a childish grin.

"Oh, shut up. It wasn't totally random," says a defeated Ebon. The next team heads up to the stage.

"Saphronia Guendolena, Rusty Ikabod, Genta Cheshire and Teal Lyudmilda." This time it's three girls and one boy, who is a nervous-looking faunus with an orange bushy tail. Wait, is he a squirrel faunus? One girl, Saphronia I think, carries a long sword in her left hand and another girl, Teal, has an unlit cigarette in her mouth. The last girl, Genta, looks sort of unhinged. "For retrieving the sword and the dagger, you have shown that you are assertive in your duties and will readily take arms against your foes. Together, you will work together as Team STRG (Sterling), led by Saphronia Guendolena. May you become champions of the people of Remnant."

"Jayden Wild," Ozpin suddenly says. I guess I'm next. I head up to the stage. "Ebon Otheseos, Aoi ek'Malpais and Delphie Bakerston." They're on my team! I face the floor and smile as I climb up the stage. I have capable teammates. I lucked out again, but then my mind begins to wonder. I don't really know these people. Who are they? Should I really have been referring to them as 'friends' earlier. I know I can rely on them as teammates, but now, I'm worried if I can really trust them as friends.

"For retrieving the text and the looking glass, you have shown that you are seekers of knowledge and truth. May your curiosity bring forth enlightenment and continue this time of peace in our world. Together, you will work together as Team JADE, led by," Ozpin stopped for a second and shoots me a slight smile. What's with the pause? "Jayden Wild."

"Wait, WHAT?"


	6. Chapter 6: Ballpoint

Chapter 6: Ballpoint

"Dudes, check out this room!" Ebon shouts excitedly as he is the first to burst into our team's dorm room.

"Wait a minute, all four beds in the same room? Shouldn't there be some sense of privacy in here?" Delphie protests.

"Oh, it will be wonderful!" Aoi declares emphatically. "Living together like this will allow us to bond beautifully."

"I like the way you think, Aoi," says Ebon with a smile and a wink.

"Aoi," Delphie turns to her partner. "You are totally clueless about ulterior motives, aren't you?"

"Certainly not, but sharing sleep together is a sign of true friendship. At least that is what my people believe and it has never failed me before." Aoi sits down on the second bed from the left and I put my stuff down on the bed to the right. I have no problems sleeping in a room with women. My twin sister and I used to share a bed back in my home village. But right now, privacy and sleeping arrangements are the last things on my mind.

"Actually Aoi, you never told us where you're from," begins Ebon. "Where did you live before coming to Beacon?"

She turns to face the boy in black and smiles at the thought of home. "I come from The Oasis in Vacuo. In a village called Malpais."

"Isn't that you last name?" asks Ebon.

"Yes. Among our people, everyone in the same village shares the same surname as the village. So my name simply means 'of Malpais.'"

"Hey, that's actually pretty neat. It's like the whole village is one big family, eh?" Ebon postulates. Aoi smiles at Ebon's words. The idea of family must be a great comfort to her, especially since she came all the way from a different kingdom.

"And you Ebon?" she asks.

"I'm from Mistral. I went to Sanctum Academy before coming here."

"I see," Aoi nods. "And Delphie? You have not told me where you are from."

Delphie looks up from her unpacking on the bed to Aoi's left. I think she is intentionally taking the bed furthest from Ebon, who I guess is now on the far right. "Wha- oh, I'm originally from Atlas, but I ended up coming to Vale when I was young. I went to Signal Academy before applying here. Hey Jayden, it's the same for you right?"

"Not quite," I respond. "I dropped out of Signal after my first year. I came to the city of Vale when I was eight to live with my foster mother."

"Oh, so where did you live before Vale?" Aoi inquires.

"I lived in Vale's Northern Frontier. A small village called Hanau."

"Why did you move?"

I don't answer. A moment of silence goes by and Aoi's expression changes from curious to concern. Ebon puts a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. I don't blame Aoi for asking. She's probably from a culture that is okay with everyone always being honest. Me personally, I just don't want to talk about me or where I come from anymore.

"Hey," Ebon breaks the silence. "Why don't we just turn in for the night? Classes start tomorrow, which kinda sucks since we literally just went through Initiation, but whatever, get a good night's rest right?"

"Yes, with you on the other side," Delphie says as she pushes Ebon to what I guess is now the boy's side of the room.

"Aww c'mon Delphie," Ebon smirks. "We're a team right?"

"Oh look," Delphie walks to the corner of the room where white cloth barriers are tucked away. They're the kind you see at those makeshift clinics. "They left us with some separators. I know these will come in handy." Delphie is teasing Ebon, while also trying to keep away any prying eyes from her and her partner's side of the room. Ebon now wears a defeated look and Delphie extends the separators between mine and Aoi's bed and officially marks the girl's and boy's sides of the room.

"Hey, that's not totally necessary is it?" protests Ebon.

"Give it a rest Ebon," I say as I start to change into sleepwear. "There's another long day ahead of us."

* * *

><p>I awake from another nightmare to the rhythmic beeping of my Scroll. This time, the nightmare was of a child, scared and alone in the corner of her home. Outside you could hear growls and screams. There was a loud banging on the door, and with each strike, the door gave a little bit more until it burst into several splinters and revealed the glowing red eyes of a legion of Grimm. I slam my hand on my Scroll to shut off the alarm, grateful that it woke me just in time.<p>

All students at Beacon are issued a Scroll, a multi-purpose device for communication, identification, data acquisition and storage, and many other functions, too. They open up to show a holographic touch-sensitive interface and can assume the size of a phone to a computer monitor. The ones they issue at Beacon are similar to civilian models, but they act as the keys to encrypted doors and files at Beacon. I never had one growing up and I don't really consider myself very tech-savvy, but I'm still pretty blown away by how advanced it is. I mean, it has an alarm clock, so that's pretty cool!

I sit up from my bed and check the time. Seven o' clock on the dot. I look to my left and see Ebon is still sleeping. "Hey Ebon," I say. "Wake up dude. We have class, remember?" He turns and pulls his blanket over his head. I try my other teammates on the other side of the screen. "Aoi? Delphie? You awake?"

"Yep," I hear Delphie say. She comes over to my side and retracts the screen to rejoin our rooms. She and Aoi are already dressed in their uniforms. "You guys just wake up?"

"Well, one of us did." I gesture towards Ebon. Aoi gets up from her chair and joins the conversation.

"Delphie had the idea to visit the dining hall before class. Would you like to join us for breakfast?"

"Absolutely," says a fully awaken and suddenly out-of-bed Ebon.

"I'm really just going there to get coffee, but whatever, we can get food," Delphie says.

"You two can go on ahead," I suggest. "We're going to need a minute to get dressed." The girls nod and head out to the dining hall. I climb out of bed and get some mouthwash from my desk. I spit out the window and then head to the closet to grab the uniform waiting for me, but I omit the tie. Ebon does the same and we close the door to our dorm behind us.

"Hey Jayden, what do you think of the girls?" Ebon inquires to me.

"They're pretty good against the Grimm," I answer candidly. "They can handle themselves up close and at a distance, so it's good that we have those two on our team."

"No, I mean what do you think about them as people."

"Oh," I pause for a few seconds. "I somewhat knew Delphie from before. She can come off kind of blunt, but she's actually a decent person. She's crazy smart, too. Back at Signal, she was top of the class and hardly had to study."

"And what about Aoi?"

"Aoi seems really nice. One of those unconditionally nice people you don't see a lot of those days. It's kind of refreshing."

"Yeah, I think so, too," Ebon smiles at the thought. "She's really cute, too." I wasn't one for flirting and I'm not what you would call romance-savvy either, but it's pretty obvious, even to me, that Ebon is getting interested in Aoi. I just hope it doesn't mess with our team dynamic. Wait, it's only been a day. Do we even have a dynamic?

We arrive at the dining hall and Aoi waves us over to her and Delphie. We sit down with our food and Ebon and Aoi start chatting instantly. Maybe we do have dynamic. I look at Delphie who looks like she's finished her food and at least two coffees. She's now on her third coffee when I see her drop a white tablet in her mug and stir. Curiously, I ask her what that tablet was. Sugar maybe?

"Caffeine tablet. This lake water is pretty weak."

We take a look at our schedules. Aoi and I have Grimm Studies at nine in the morning with a Professor Port. That's in a few minutes, so she and I head to our first class while Ebon and Delphie head to Military History with Dr. Oobleck. As we enter the lecture hall, I recognize a few students from yesterday. Saphronia is sitting without her team in the front and Okami and Strall are sitting off to the side. Aoi and I take seats in the second row just when Professor Port enters the room. He's a fairly chubby man with grey hair and a matching handle bar mustache. Aoi giggles at the sight of our new teacher and whispers to me, "He looks like a shaggy dog in the rain." I snicker at the thought just when he beings to speak.

"They infest the unknown! They prey on the weak! They haunt our dreams! The creatures of Grimm lurk in all corners of the globe. But for us Huntsmen and Huntresses, they are not our fear, but our prey!" He shouts boisterously as if he's giving a pep-talk. I guess we need it, especially after yesterday's Initiation. "In the world of Remnant, the four kingdoms offer protection from a cruel world inhabited by demonic creatures which harbor the sole desire of ripping you to pieces." His voice became scarier at the end of the sentence, just so he could sound a little more poignant. His tone aside, that was probably the smartest thing he said so far. "They are the unfeeling entities that wish to bring an end to this world, but that is why you are all here. To defend the innocent, not only from the Grimm, but from all things that threaten peace and prosperity." He waits for us to give some kind of roused cheer for his little speech, but nobody seems like they're in the mood for it. I know I'm not.

"Will this be on a test?" Aoi whispers to me.

"I really hope not."

"And now, a story to put things in perspective," Port begins to speak again. I feel like no one would blame me if I pleaded him to stop. "This is a story about a heroic young man who triumphantly bested the Grimm menace. Any guesses on who that handsome man is?" I hold myself back from answering sarcastically, but I really just want to say 'your mother.' He waits a second for an answer that never comes. "It's me!" I immediately start tuning him out as he starts to pontificate some tale from his prime before his metabolism got the best of him. I turn to see Aoi, who looks bored enough to start eating her own hair, but she instead supports her head on her hand to keep herself awake. He drones on and on, with this pointless story. Eventually, it sounds like he is about to finish up. "So with the Beowolf in captivity, I returned to my village and was celebrates as a hero!" He bows expecting some kind of applause, but instead I raise my hand.

"Excuse me, Professor Port?" He looks up and locks eyes with me.

"Yes, young warrior? First, tell me you name."

"Uh, Jayden Wild. Why didn't you just kill the Beowolf?"

"Well, if you had paid attention, you would know that it was necessary to study the Beowolf and learn it weaknesses."

"You mean it won't die from a bullet to the skull like every other Grimm?" I realize that I'm sounding audibly annoyed.

"I see you fancy yourself a Huntsman already," he raises his eyebrow and heads to a box covered by a cloth sheet. "Then perhaps you would like to test your mettle once more." He rips of the cloth to present a caged Grimm. It's in a solid crate, so I can't make out what species it is. I'm not one for showing off, and even less for unnecessary fights, but I'm always up to put down a Grimm. Let's send this bastard back to hell.

"Sure."

"Excellent! Now, feel free to retrieve your weapon and combat gear for your demonstration."

"No thanks," I get up from my chair and put my pen in my pocket. "I'll be fine."

"I see that you are one who laughs in the face of fear!" Port looks at me with a big smile and a curious, raised eyebrow. Is this guy really that surprised? I mean, he is a Huntsman, right? Fear is the same as death in this business. Pushing down that feeling isn't a choice, it's a necessity. I take a spot in the front of the class opposite the cage. Port lifts his axe to release the monster. "Let the match, begin!"

The cage door slams down and reveals a Boarbatusk. It is a large hog-like monster with a black pelt and boney plates covering it sides. It bears a similar face-plate with the red markings of Grimm and large curved tusks. Its fours eyes glow a putrid red. Gasps momentarily flood the room at the sight of this Grimm. It wastes no time to charge at me. This species of Grimm is deceptively smart, so timing and strike placement is everything when fighting a Boarbatusk. It lowers its head to hit me, but I side step and the last possible second and kick it in its side, causing it to slam into the front row of student desks. No mercy now. I run over and take the pen out of my pocket. I press my knee in its torso, its center of weight, and click the point of the pen out. Before it has a chance to struggle free, I jam the pen deep into its eye and twist. It squeals like a pig and I twist the pen some more. "Stay down. _Stay down_," I growl at the beast. I press and twist the pen deeper and deeper, feeling the strangely pleasant bite of my stab into its demonic flesh. Eventually, its squeals quiet and it stops struggling. I pull the pen out and wipe it off on the pelt of the boar monster. I think for a moment about how it squealed, whether it tried to feign some kind of sympathy for its pain. Of course, the Grimm don't feel and they certain don't beg for mercy, but we sure as hell do.

"That was," Port pauses for a moment. "Unconventional, but very effective. Bravo, Mr. Wild. You really do have great potential as a Huntsman. But I would recommend avoiding battles with nothing but your uniform and school supplies." He laughs at his own joke. Put my 'weapon' away and head back to my seat. Saphronia in the front row shoots me a glare, but I quickly dismiss it when I see Aoi look at with sad and concerned eyes. "Well class," Post begins again. "That is all the time we have today. Be sure to read your assigned reading before the next session and remember, stay vigilant."

I head to towards the exit with Aoi in pursuit. As soon as we leave the lecture hall, she places a hand on my shoulder and pulls me aside. She still has sad and concerned eyes locked onto my own. I don't pay attention to what kind of vibe I'm giving off, but I know that I'm feeling angry. Not at her, not at Port, just at the Grimm. This feeling stays with me and festers, building up like a gas until it feels as if my heart will burst. Maybe it's not anger, but bloodlust. I don't really know.

"Jayden please," Aoi says gently as she places her hand on my shoulder. "Please tell me what is causing you feel this way." She must already be able to tell how I feel, so I'm lead to believe that I'm giving off a pretty intense vibe right now. I try to tell myself to relax, but it doesn't work. I feel tight, wound up, and ready to keep fighting. Aoi takes a deep breath and tries again. "I am your friend, as is Ebon and Delphie. Whatever troubles you, please know that it is not your burden to bear alone." She's sincere, but what she is saying is not something I can accept. I just met her and Ebon, and Delphie was always just more of an acquaintance from before. What makes her think that she can understand what I've been through? She's someone who just fought Grimm for the first time yesterday. Sure, she can listen, but she won't understand. I don't need to talk about it; I only need to do something about it.

"It's just a little bit of a combat high," I give Aoi an excuse and try to shrug it off. "It happens to everybody. I just need some time for the adrenaline to thin out." I nudge her hand off of my shoulder and try to don a more amiable look, but she continues with her worried stare.

"Okay, but please, talk to me when you are ready." She must know that I'm covering up. She takes a step back and looks behind herself. "I have another class in a few minutes, but I will be back in the room later tonight if you need me."

"That's fine. See you around, Aoi." She nods and heads to her next class. I end up losing sight of her among the other students, but within a few seconds the halls empty and I stand alone in a quiet corridor, waiting for something important to cross my mind. I cannot think of anything that I need to do. I can't even think of anything I want to do, but anything is better than nothing, so I walk the halls. I have no destination in mind. I figure some aimless pacing will do me some good, though.

I realize quickly that I've underestimated the halls of Beacon. After only a few minutes, I have completely lost my sense of direction. North, south, east and west no longer have any meaning. I don't believe that I have ever been so utterly lost. I even try to experiment by turning back the way I came, but I somehow ended up in a completely different room. It's as if Beacon was some kind of nexus for instantaneous teleportation. I could be in the dining hall one minute and the janitor's closet the next. I almost give up and decide that the only way out of this impromptu maze is to jump out the window. I'm sure I could handle a fall from a few stories. Luckily, a familiar voice puts that thought out of my head before I caused any property damage to the school.

"Hello Jayden," says Professor Ozpin, who has seemingly materialized behind me out of thin air. "Having a tour of the campus?"

"That's one way of putting it," I say jokingly. I begin to wonder how long it took him to memorize the halls here. He is the headmaster and all so I suppose he had the time.

"How are you finding your classes?" he asks.

"I think I was lucky enough to just find one of them." I think being lost in these halls for so long has turned me into a bit of a smart-ass. "But, I think I like them so far."

"Yes, I thought you would. I heard about your stunt in Professor Port's Grimm Studies class. Quite the feat to apprehend a Grimm with fine-tip pen."

"Ballpoint, actually. And besides, I hardly think it was appropriate for him to be unleashing Grimm on students after what happened yesterday."

Ozpin's face grew more solemn. "You are referring to the wake at Induction?"

"Students died, Professor. I'm well aware that it's a fact of being a Hunter, but it doesn't seem respectful to do that not even a day later."

"It is a difficult adjustment for your fellow students. A hardening of the heart. But with a little time and some perspective, they will come to live their lives normally as Huntsman and Huntresses. However," Ozpin tone changes and he looks as if he is seeing right through me. "You don't seem to have any problem adjusting to that reality."

"I wouldn't consider that an advantage, sir. Facing the Grimm isn't something I would wish on anyone. I just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time all too often."

"Yes, well, let's hope that luck of yours changes. For instance, how do you feel about your team?"

"My team?" I'm not sure what his line of questioning is, but I have a feeling this is what he wanted to talk to me about. "They're great. I'm glad to have capable allies, but something has been bothering me."

"And that would be?"

"Why did you make me the leader?"

"Are you having doubts."

"Yes, I hardly believe that I am fit for this role. So, what was your logic?"

Ozpin chuckles at the word 'logic' as if he is surprised that I thought he used any at all. "Well, the most obvious reason I can find is that you are able to lead through example."

"You're kidding?" I reply with dumbfounded sarcasm. "Just what kind of role model are you looking for your students to follow?"

He laughs again. I never thought being a smart-ass would go over so well with a headmaster of a Hunter Academy. Or maybe Ozpin is just a jovial guy. "It is more than your experience with the Grimm. You're willing to tackle problems head on and the thought of failure doesn't cross your mind. You may not be the brightest or the best fighter, but it is that courage which allows you to rally the people around you. You give others faith that they will not fail either."

I'm not sure what I think about what he is saying. I never considered myself courageous, just absent of fear, and I certainly don't think someone like me is very good at boosting morale. "However, Jayden," he continues. "It is more for your sake than theirs that I appointed you leader."

Now I'm really lost. "What do you mean by that?"

"I cannot say for sure, but in due time, I believe that as you bond with your team, you will find a greater sense of peace, a sense that everything is not as bad as it seems." He looks out of the window and smiles. I look, too and see the same bright azure sky I saw yesterday. Is he trying to help me get over my past? I'm sure he knows. Linus and that bastard Qrow must have told him about me, but he really seems genuinely concerned. Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about it. "Well anyway, I have some paperwork to finish up. Fresh new faces always bring fresh new work for me. I'm glad we had this talk, Jayden. And if you need anything else, please don't hesitate to come see me." I nod and he walks away, somehow finding his way through this labyrinthine halls. Ozpin is one character I'm just not going to figure out.

* * *

><p>Hours. It took me literally hours to find my way back to my dorm room. It's already night time. During my little adventure, I actually did walk straight into the janitor's closet thinking it was my dorm. Why does the janitor's closet even need Scroll access? I open the door to my room, my actual room, and I find Delphie studying at her desk. I greet her and she looks up at me.<p>

"Hey Jayden. Where've you been?"

"Don't ask." I drop straight on to my bed. "What was Dr. Oobleck's class like?"

"Man, I need to know what is in that guy's coffee. He talks a mile-a-minute." Delphie tosses another one of her caffeine tablets into her mouth. "Oh yeah, Aoi told me about what happened in Grimm Studies today. Did you really kill a Boarbatusk with a pen?" I toss her the my pen as proof. She catches it a takes a second to examine it. "The tip is bent and the mouth is slightly frayed. Wow, not going to lie, that's kind of badass." She throws the pen back at me, but I let it bounce off my head. I really don't feel like moving anymore. I can't believe I actually want to go to sleep. However, Delphie continues to speak, "Although, in all seriousness, Aoi was worried about you. Apparently, you were looking seriously crazy when you fought that thing." I am reminded of when I was finishing off the monster, how I growled at it as I finished it off. She was right, I acted crazy, but sometimes, I can't help it. The Grimm just set me off like that. I don't mention any of that to Delphie however, so I try to change the subject.

"Where is Aoi and Ebon anyway?" I ask, but before Delphie has a chance to answer, Aoi and Ebon come through the door almost on cue. They seem to be in a good mood as I sit up in bed to greet them.

"Where did you two run off to?" inquires Delphie.

"Just around town," Ebon answers. "Aoi and I wanted to get acquainted to Vale so we took a trip together after class let out."

"It was absolutely wonderful!" Aoi lets out. "I had never seen so many people of so many difference backgrounds in one place. And the buildings and the shops and the ships!" Aoi sounds fanatic about her trip. All this must be so new to her, coming from a small village and all. I was the same way when I moved to Vale, but my reaction was little more toned down. "And there was this nice old man, too! He was having trouble moving supplies to his Dust shop, so Ebon and I helped him. He was so nice!" Aoi reached into bag hanging from her wrist. "He even gave us these cookies as a thank you! I've never had a pastry like this before in The Oasis."

She holds out a container of chocolate chip cookies. They are baked to a golden crisp and the chocolate beads out of the dough like rhinestones. I take one look at the cookies and my stomach begins to churn. I break out into a cold sweat and my mind begins to race. Memories from that awful day come back, to that shop in the forest. I start to tremble and hyperventilate. How could Gale and I have known? We were only children. We were lost and hungry like everyone else in Hanau. Why did that have to happen? Why? The smell of that shop, the taste of those treats. How could we have known? That day, that awful day. Every memory floods back into my consciousness, something I want to forget about, but still haunts me? Why did that have to happen to us? The nausea gets worse, my heart races like crazy, my limbs go numb.

"Uh, Jayden," I hear Ebon say muffled over my ringing ears. "Are you okay?"

I can't hold it any longer. I get up from my bed and shove the windows open and vomit. I take a few breaths and vomit again, then I start to dry heave. I bring myself back into the room and kneel to the floor gasping for breath. Aoi slowly conceals the cookies into her desk drawer and everyone becomes absolutely silent as I try to compose myself.

"What. The hell?" Ebon blurts out.

"Jayden. Do you need any help?" Aoi returns to asking.

"I'm fine." I stand up. "I must have caught something from the Emerald Forest." Only after saying that do I realize how terrible of a liar I am. "I just need some water." I head for the door to go to the bathroom, but Delphie stops me before I can leave.

"Yeah, right. That was a bona fide panic attack. Here," she gives me half of a yellow pill. "This is potassium. Go get your water and let me know how you feel in a few minutes. What do you weight, like, 170 pounds? I'm only giving you half because too much can stop your heart."

"Oh, uh, thanks." I leave my bewildered teammates as I exit the room. This day needs to end.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Another late update, sorry people. I think I'll just start uploading on Fridays instead. <strong>

**This one had some RT references. See if you can catch them!**

**I, like everybody else, is going through final exam season, so it may be more difficult to have an upload in time. This semester needs to end. I kind of know how Jayden feels right now. **


	7. Chapter 7: Black Boots

Chapter 7: Black Boots

(_Jayden's Perspective_)

A few days had passed since that last incident. My team expressed concern and I did my best to put their worries to rest. However, I have continued to avoid telling them anything personal. That was my choice. Regardless, time went on, and my team settled and grew into patterns. Classes have picked up a little and begin to get more serious with our first midterm exams on the horizon. I am lucky enough to have my entire team with me in Professor Goodwitch's class, Skills of the Huntsmen and Huntresses. During this class, we learn about miscellaneous stuff about the work of Hunters, some techniques in tracking and aura, and some of the equipment we have access to at Beacon. During her class, we are allowed to wear our normal clothing, which I feel most comfortable in. I wear the olive drab jacket my father gave me when I was little.

Once we reach the training courtyard, Goodwitch turns to face us and begin her lesson. "As many of you know, aura is the power that resides within all living things. For Huntsmen and Huntresses, this power can be utilized to for a number of functions. Using Dust, defensive barriers, accelerated healing, and access to one's unique Semblance are all techniques you should be familiar with. Today, you will all be shown how to perform a High-Impact Landing. This is a defensive technique that allows one to land safely from great heights by using aura as a barrier against the impact of the ground. Helping me to demonstrate is Mr. Nikto Oranou, a senior student here at Beacon."

"Hey everyone," begins Nikto as he introduces himself. "Like Ms. Goodwitch said, I'm Nikto and going to be your little test dummy for this lesson." He gives a smile and confident wink to the crowd. I get a better look at him and notice that he's a Faunus. He has long black hair that reaches his shoulders with small antlers poking out the top of his head. He wears a black vest with purple trimmings and a matching arm band. He wears navy cargo shorts with black military boots. He continues to speak. "So you froshies are going to learn that here at Beacon, we like to show first and ask questions later. That's why Glynda here picked the most gullible senior she could find for this little stunt." He looks to Professor Goodwitch with a smile, a bold move after just using her first name.

"Right," Goodwitch says curtly as she adjusts her glasses. "Now Mr. Oranou, please take your spot on the platform."

"Oh goodie!" Nikto runs to a stone platform, much like the ones used on the cliff for Initiation. This student seems different than the rest. He more self-assured than others I've met here. There is no malice in his voice. He jokes around, but not in a caustic sarcastic way. He's simply a confident person. "Alright! All good, Ms. G! Send me to the moon!"

With a tap on her Scroll, the platform springs up and sends Nikto straight into the air. We all arch our necks upward to follow his ascent. At the peak of his launch, he is nothing but a spec in the sky. I find it hard to believe they expect him to survive this. Even during Initiation, we were launched more forward then high up. I watch intently as my curious, and a bit of worry, grows. His excited shout fills the air as he gets closer and closer to the ground. It looks as if he intends on landing feet first. I see him raise a fist just before impact and a second later and he lands, causing a shockwave to ripple through the ground. Nikto had landed completely unharmed! He stays in a sort of kneeling pose with his fist to the ground for a second until he stands up. He gives the class a smile and a thumbs-up.

"Thank you Mr. Oranou," Goodwitch says before turning her attention back to us. "Now, you will all attempt the same technique you just witnessed. Use your aura at the moment of impact to form a barrier and you will be free of any harm. Fail to do this and you will suffer serious injury or death. You will begin at a lower height and work way up."

My team takes turn on the platforms. It's the job of the other three to spot the falling teammate. Aoi has the best grasp of the concept, since she has the best command of her aura on the team. The rest of us reach the mid-height by the time class ends, but Aoi already got to the same height as Nikto did. She wins the praise of Professor Goodwitch, but Aoi stays humble about it.

"I just wanted to fall longer," she says to Goodwitch with her signature smile and cheer.

Goodwitch turns to address the class once more. "Alright everyone, that's it for today. If you wish to practice High-Impact Landings, then I suggest you schedule time at the Skills Clinic. Class is dismissed."

Ebon nudges me to tell me something in private. "I think Goodwitch could use some High-Impact Landings of a different kind, eh Jayden?" He smirks trying to contain his own laughter and I give him a slightly appalled look.

"Dude, really?"

"Excuse me, Team JADE?" Goodwitch asks us.

"What? I didn't say anything," Ebon covers up, but Goodwitch looks bewildered at his response.

"Uh, no. I'm just here to personally introduce you to Mr. Nikto Oranou. He is assigned as a student mentor to your team." Nikto walks up to her side and waves to us.

"Please guys, just call me Nikto. No formalities here."

"I trust you can handle the rest?" Goodwitch asks the senior student. He nods in confirmation and Goodwitch busily walks off to her next task.

"So, ice breakers! What can I call you guys?" We each introduce ourselves and are met with a handshake from this amiable Faunus. "Alright, you guys looked pretty good out there. Especially you, Aoi." She nods and smiles at receiving praise once again. "You guys are going to like it here. Well, if you enjoy masochistic training and banal classes, then you'll really enjoy yourselves. But hey, look on the bright side."

"Which is?" Delphie inquires impatiently.

"At least you have me!" He laughs at his own joke. Aoi and Ebon are the only ones to join him. I think Delphie was expecting a serious answer. Me? I just didn't find it funny, but at least he seems like a good enough person, I think. "Anyway," he continues. "I hate to cut our time short right now, but I have to meet up with my team for some extra training. But, I still want to meet up and get to know you guys better, so let me have your contact info if that's okay." He removes his Scroll from his pocket, but it looks different than ours; his is black like Ozpin's and Goodwitch's. We exchange contacts and he waves us goodbye as he hurries off.

"You guys see that Scroll?" Delphie asks. She must have noticed its similarity to the staff's Scrolls. "Definitly not standard issue for students." She puts the nail of her thump to her lips. It's her way of showing curiosity and critical thinking.

"Oh, don't look into it so much," cries Ebon. "He probably just got it custom or something. Like at a store." Delphie shrugs him off and we head to the Academy proper. We all don't have any class for the rest of today, so I try to think of some way I can kill time. I take it that there is no one in the ballroom, so I can use the piano, or I can go to the roof and play my harmonica. However, I can't help but feel that I made plans today.

"Aoi, you still down to work on Topography today?" Delphie asks her partner.

"Yes, I am happy you reminded me. I need help with some of the homework."

"Well, you two ladies have fun doing nerd stuff," Ebon says bluntly. "Jayden, ready to hit the town for a bit?" Oh right, that's what I'm supposed to do today. I know I told him yesterday that I would hang out, but honestly, I was hoping he forgot.

"Yeah sure," I reply plainly.

"Oh, where are you going?" Aoi asks.

"Just around Vale, like we did the other day," Ebon answers happily. "You can join us if you want."

"Aoi, c'mon," an annoyed Delphie says. "Let's go take care of work. Besides, you've been spending too much time with Ebon. You might catch his stupid." Ebon laughs off the insult without holding a grudge.

"We'll meet up tonight back in the room," I tell the girls as they start to walk off. As they wave to us, Ebon throws an arm around my shoulders in comradery.

"It's time for a BRO DATE!" he shouts with a fist in the air.

"Please don't call it that."

Shops and businesses are a buzz for this midafternoon. Workers coming home from their jobs go in and out of shops, picking up groceries or gifts. Children from the local schools are about, heading to their favorite hang-outs and diners to celebrate the end of their academic day. Hundreds of busy footsteps, car engines, and voices echo through the streets of Vale. The last nine years living in the city of Vale have made me accustomed to this bustle, but I still can't help but feel like an outsider. Ebon, however, is soaking up Vale life so quickly, it's as if he's lived here all his life.

"Isn't this great?" Ebon asks me.

"What? The weather?"

"Sure, but I'm talking about the people, Jayden. Everyone's just doing their own thing, not bothering anyone else, and living their lives. It's just the kind of city I like. Busy, but laid back!"

I nod. "Mistral didn't have a city like this?"

"Of course there were cities, just not one like this. Vale has a peaceful tone to it." Ebon is more of an unsuspecting tourist here than he lets on. Vale has a shady underground to it if you look in the right places. Thieves, murderers, organized crime, and not to mention the White Fang. The surface is peaceful, but like most things, there's a darker side that gets swept under the rug. I don't really want to rain on his parade through, so I try not to bring up the subject.

"You've seen some of Vale, found anything you like so far?"

"Uh, yeah. Aoi and I found some cafés and shops. Oh, and we went to this arcade in the entertainment district! You should have seen her. It had to be the first time she ever played video games. I've never seen someone so confused and happy at the same time."

"Right, I've been there when I was little." I scratch my head. I never considered myself talkative, but I can't believe how terrible I am at conversation.

"Ya know, we should hang out with that Nikto guy."

"We just met him."

"I know, but he's seems cool. And I think it's cool that a Faun - " Ebon is cut off by an angry shout from the café a few steps ahead of us. A Faunus man hurries out of the café and is followed by a flurry of utensils and plates. He has dark spots around his eyes and a bushy stripped tail that had meant to keep concealed. A large ladle hits him in the back of the head and he falls to the ground covering his injury.

"COME BACK HERE AGAIN AND I'LL CALL THE COPS!" an angry emanates from the café.

"What difference does it make to you?" pleads the Faunus. "It's business all the same, so what's your problem?"

"My problem is you, Faunus," shouts the café proprietor, now stepping out with a steak knife in hand. "Come in here wearing a disguise and trying to blend in with humans? Your own rat holes not good enough for you?"

"Obviously not if they're like rat holes. Would you put up with Faunus conditions if you were in my shoes?"

"Shut up," the café proprietor raises his knife and the raccoon-Faunus shields his head with his arms. Suddenly, a fist strikes the proprietor's face and sends him flying into the table of a few of his customers. It happened so fast that it took me a second to realize it was Ebon who punched him. His brow furrowed and his jaw clenched, Ebon stares down at the proprietor with anger so dense it chocked the air. The Faunus man uses this as an opportunity to escape before the baffled proprietor regains his composure. "You little punk. What the hell are you defending that vagrant for?" He stands up and lifts his knife towards Ebon.

"I ain't scared of you! C'mon bring it, asshole!" Ebon erupts. The proprietor takes an uneasy step forward, and then another. I know I have to stop this before it gets out of hand. Ebon might seriously hurt this man. I step in between the two of them with my right foot forward in order to brandish Guilty Ash. I leave it holstered, but put a hand on it with a finger resting on the trigger. I give the proprietor a cold stare, the one I've seen in the shadier parts of Vale.

"This doesn't have to keep going," I advise the man armed with kitchen cutlery. He grits his teeth and hides the knife behind himself.

"Go before I call the police," he says in an angry but defeated tone.

"Yeah, we're leaving." I turn to Ebon and place a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon, let's go." We head the direction we came and make a point to hurry out of sight. We come to the park where we begin to slow down. Ebon has his hands on his waist and his head facing down.

"Thanks, Jayden. That was stupid of me," he lets out exasperated. He takes a seat on a nearby bench. He sits hunched over still facing down, but this time with his hands pressed against his face. For the short time I've known him, this is the most upset I've ever seen him be. I take the seat next to him and try to cheer him up. Well, the best I can anyway.

"Don't mention it. My old mentor used to say that if someone starts waving a stick at you, then just wave a bigger stick. Preferentially, a bigger stick that's also a gun." I look to see if I get a reaction out of him, but he's still silent and motionless. I should have known better than to use a joke from Linus. I keep thinking of something to say until I hear him begin to mumble. I can't make out a word he's saying. He continues for a few more seconds and then I finally catch one of the words he was saying, only because he seemed to repeat in his mumbling. _Marcy_, it sounds like a name.

"Marcy, I couldn't," Ebon spoke a bit louder, but then trails off. The mumbling continues, but sounds more frantic than before. I step in before he really starts to lose it.

"Ebon, what's wrong? Who's Marcy?" He looks at me with redden eyes, the kind meant to hold back tears. After a deep sigh, he runs his hands through his hair and leans his back against the bench. He stares up at the sky for bit, biding his time before giving an answer.

"A friend. It's a long story, though." I think about whether that means he wants to talk about it or not. I look at my watch, and then back at him.

"I've got time," I say. He chuckles as if surprised that I would ask to listen. In reality, I think he's grateful. Ebon seems like one of those people who wears his heart on his sleeve. Talking about stuff like this is what they do best. Ebon let's out one more deep breath and begins.

"Back in Mistral, I lived in this town called Ithaki. Small place, kind of out of the way." The pace of Ebon speech picked up, alerting me that we would be here a while. I guess I should have listened to his warning. "The people though, they were the worst. I'll make a bet with you right now that you'll never see a place with more bigots per square foot than in Ithaki. Humans there hated Faunus. Throwing rocks through their windows, chasing them away in the streets, attacking them even. And that was just what the children did."

"That's horrible," I respond almost instinctually. I realize that my heart is beating fast as he described the bigotry in his hometown. I remember there being Faunus in Hanau, and they were subject to some discrimination, but nothing as bad as what Ebon just described.

"Yeah, but there was this one Faunus girl named Marcy. She was about as Faunus as you could get. Big wide eyes, orange cat ears and even a matching cat tail. I met her one day when I was little, around nine years old, I guess. I had snuck out of my house while I was grounded and thought it was the best time to take advantage of my fugitive freedom. I wandered in the poorer side of town, where a lot of the Faunus lived. Not really a smart move for a human to do, but the Faunus wouldn't hurt you, just heckle you. Even if a human wandered on Faunus turf, they were too afraid to touch you. There were consequences for touching the slightest hair on a human."

"So how did you meet?"

"Right. I found a retention pond to hunker down by. I thought that being the rebellious escapee from parental incarceration would be a little more exciting, but I was just bored. I tried skipping stones on that dirty water, but all I could ever do was make a decent sized splash. Suddenly, I heard a high pitched laugh from behind me that made me spring up to my feet. There she was, standing with arms behind her back and tail that danced in beat with her playful demeanor. And she wore these dirty black rain boots. No matter where she was or if it was wet or not, Marcy wore those boots. '_You're doing it all wrong'_ she said grinning like an idiot. Next she grabbed a stone, wound up her throwing arm, made that thing skip all the way to the other side. And then, without skipping a beat, no pun intended, she held out her hand and asked for my name. I was shocked, confused as to why a Faunus would want to be so friendly with a human. Maybe she didn't know better, or maybe she didn't really care. Regardless, after that day, we were friends. Maybe I liked the idea of befriending a Faunus, thinking it would piss people off, or maybe it was that we were happy together. We each found someone who didn't really care about the presence or absence of an extra set of ears."

"Did your parents find out?"

"Eventually, yeah. They yelled and threatened me, but I why would care? Marcy was different than everybody else. Faunus or human, everyone had a stick up there ass. Miserable, on edge, and always looking for something to get pissed off about. Marcy though, it's like none of that could even touch her. She just is - was happiness."

"So it was just you and her?"

"Most of the time yeah. Sometimes my cousin Pyrrha would hang out, too. She was the only family I really liked. We could see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. She was my confident and sometimes was my sparring partner."

"So what happened next?"

Ebon sighs again, deeper than before. He looks off to the side and takes a few seconds. It starts to get darker outside and the streetlights start to turn on. Ebon continues, "Well, the next two years go by and it's usually just school and then hang out with Marcy. We mostly just hung out by the retention pond, skip stones and talk about stuff. Usually, we talk about faraway places. Vale, Atlas, Vacuo and the like. I remember one conversation we had. It went something like this."

* * *

><p>(<em>Young Ebon's Perspective<em>)

"Hey Ebon," Marcy cries out just as she nudges my shoulder.

"Huh, what?"

"You ever hear about Huntsmen and Huntresses?" I wait a few seconds to see if she is telling a joke, but Marcy looks serious. Well, serious for her anyway.

"Yeah, duh. Everyone knows about them. What kind of question is that?"

"Would you ever want to be one?" she grins childishly and peers at me as if this is some sort of interrogation.

"Haven't really thought about it."

"You don't think about much of anything, do you?" Marcy laughs hysterically as she holds her stomach and rolls of the grass. She always finds a way to set me up like that. She recovers from her hysteria and sits back up. "So?"

"So what?"

"Do you want to be a Huntsman?"

I give her question some thought. Being a Huntsman means traveling the world, seeing new places and meeting new people. Honestly, I can't believe I've never considered it until now. But what about her? I would have to go to one of the Hunter Academies and I don't want to leave Marcy behind. "Well, do you want to be a Huntress?"

She pouts, "I asked you first."

"I asked you second." Nice, that's my classic wit.

She turns away from me and looks out to the pond. "Yes. I want to be a Huntress. I can get away from Mistral and then my life will be nothing but adventure and fortune." She gets so excited by the idea she stands up and shouts. "That's the way to live!" She looks back at me and smiles. "So, your turn."

"Yeah, that sounds awesome," I smile back at her and at the thought of seeing the world. I always felt so isolated in Ithaki. A grand adventure seems like the perfect way to live a life. Suddenly, Marcy hugs me and rubs her head against my shoulder.

"That's great! I'm so glad I can bring my pet human along!"

* * *

><p>(<em>Return to Jayden's Perspective<em>)

Night time finally arrived at the park. People still passed along the streets, heading to whatever nightlife function the city of Vale had to offer. Ebon wore a pained expression as the memories of home surfaced. I really don't know what to say now. He talks about Marcy paradoxically, having such great affection and sorrow at the same time. He's silent, so I try to break his mood.

"So, I guess I have her to blame for you being my partner." I tell this joke uneasily, but it actually makes him genuinely laugh. I worried that it might have been inappropriate, but I think Ebon actually appreciated it. Maybe he needed a little cheer. Even happy people like him can get stuck in depressive ruts. He breathes out and continues talking.

"Yeah, right? So, that's what we wanted. To travel the world, doing what we wanted and no one to tell us otherwise. She loved to talk about becoming a Huntress and it got me excited to become a Huntsman. But, it," Ebon takes a long pause. "Doesn't always work out." I don't interrupt this time, no questions. I let him talk it out. "This one day, a weekend, Marcy and I were going to meet up to just walk around the town a bit. This was about six years ago. She wanted to meet in the part of town more inhabited by humans, so I told her that she shouldn't wait for me there and instead I should wait for her to meet me. But, I screwed up. Of all the days to sleep in, I picked that day. I was late, so I rushed out to meet Marcy. I know she wouldn't be angry, but she wasn't really a patient girl either. When I finally got to the meeting place, she wasn't there, even though it was well past the time we agreed upon. I looked around for her until I heard excited chants from a nearby alley. I went to check it out and what I saw next still haunts me."

A sinking feeling in my gut weighs down on me. I've seen and heard enough in my life to know what happens next. I don't say a word. I let Ebon continue to say what needs to be said. "Four older human boys stood there around Marcy. She was on the ground and even though the alley was dark, I could see she was badly hurt and bloodied. The four boys recognized me as the kid she always hung out with and attacked me, too, calling me some 'freak lover.' They charged at me, but they would end up running away even faster. I didn't hold back. I beat them, all of them. I wanted them to bleed, just like they did to Marcy, but they ran away, too scared to pick a fight with one kid their junior. I didn't bother chasing them; I went straight to Marcy's side. It was worse than I thought. She was bloodied, bruised and," Ebon hesitates for a moment. "Beaten to the point of being unrecognizable. Some things I just can't, rather don't want to, describe again. I knew it was her though. She had her rain boots, coated with old mud and fresh blood. She was dead. They had beaten her to death and they planned it, they meant to do it! I cried out for help and the police came. They collected her body, took her back to her family and had a funeral in the Faunus cemetery. My parents wouldn't let me go, but I eventually found a way to sneak out to see her grave. I felt like a fool. This was my fault. I was careless she died because I wasn't there. It was my fault, my fault, my fault, my – "

I interrupt Ebon this time by putting my hand on his shoulder. That kind of thinking can rip someone up from the inside. I don't say anything; I don't need to. It was not his fault. He knows that. He gave one final deep breath and continues.

"What happens next was the straw that broke the camel's back. I went to the police afterwards. I told them about the four boys that attacked her. I even tried going to the mayor himself. No one would listen. It's like it never even happen. No one cared about Marcy. Not even the Faunus tried to persecute, they already knew that it would have been futile. To Ithaki, she was just roadkill." Ebon goes from feeling guilty to feeling enraged in a matter of seconds. "So I gave up. I resolved to leave my hometown and make every excuse to never go back. I went to combat school when I was thirteen, took extra classes and training over the breaks and when I was finished, I made sure I didn't stay in the same kingdom, so I chose to go to Beacon in Vale. Even if I was on the other side of Remnant, I would still be too close to my hometown."

Ebon stands up and I do the same. He's finally done. We start a walk back to the shuttle that takes us back to Beacon. He now seems resolute in his ambition to become a Huntsman, as if he is doing it for someone else. He's doing it for Marcy.

I know what it's like to want to get out of your hometown, but I can't say that I never want to go back. It bothered me, just a little bit. So I ask him, "So, you really don't want to go back home?"

"What are you talking about?" He stops walking and looks to me with a smiling face. "Beacon's my home now."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: So glad finals are done!<strong>

**I felt really terrible writing this chapter. This start to get a little more dark as we go into more of the character's backstories. **

**First chapter with perspective changes. I though it would be boring to always have Jayden narrate everything, so I make sure to give clear perspective changes whenever and new character takes over.**

**Please let me know what you guys think!**


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